Sealed aviator&#39;s suit and helmet and means for controlling gas pressure and oxygen delivery therein



Dec- 4Q1945- .1 D. AKERMAN ET Al. 2,390,233

SEALED AVIATORS SUIT AND HELMET AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING GAS PRESSURE AND OXYGEN DELIVERY THEREIN Filed Dec.l 17, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 De. 4, 1945. J. D. AKERMAN ET A1. 2,390,233

SEALED AVIATOR'S SUIT AND HELMET AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING 4 GAS PRESSURE AND OXYGEN DELIVERY THEREIN Filed Dec. 17, 1941 4 sheets-sheet 2 Dec, 4, 1945. J D. AKERMAN ET AL 2,390,233

SEALED AVIATORS SUIT AND HELMET AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING GAS, PRESSURE AND OXYGEN DELIVERY THEREIN Filed DGO. 17, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 la/wv D. AMER/mw* wurm M. Hoor/,sy ARTHUR b! nauL/A/v F13-11 l m: m65.

D60 4, 1945. J D. AKERMAN E'r AL 2,390,233 SEALED AVIATORS `SUIT AND HELMET AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING GAS PRESSURE AND OXYGEN DELIVERY THEREIN Filed Dec. 17, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A III-mmf@ Patented Dec. 4, 1945 SEALED AVIATOR@V SUIT AND HELMETv AND MEANS FQR `vCONTROLLING GAS PRES- SUREAND. QXYGEN DELIVERY THEREIN lohn 12, Minneapolis, and Walter M.

ther Blbulien, and William B.- hesten Minn.

Apnlieatiop Beember 17, 1941, Serial No. 123,4431?x pleine: (CL 12S-14.4,).

.Qur invention relates to. a sealed aviators suit and helmet and means for controlling gas pressure and oxygen delivery. therein, andlconsists primarily in providing. anenclosing suit oi flexible material', including. eoveringsfon .feet and a helmet for the head, all sealed gastight as Worn, in combination with means for maintaining a gas pressure Within the suit at a relatively constant higher pressure than that ofthe sui-1 rounding atmosphere, to provide. means for supplying oxygen and rebreathing the same such that the escape of the gases of exhalation `will be iirst into and then from the said sealed suit, and to provide means for additionally introducing air under .pressure into. the suit and. means subject to the pressure of external atmosphere for determining a pressure Within the vsluit .substantially greater than rthat of the. surrounding atmosphere.

In aviation, particularly in military. aviation, higher and higher altitudes are constantlyv being reached where thev initiative in. combat will orfdinarily go to the airplanes which can maneuver. above the highest possible elevations of the airplanes Which they are attacking. The maximum height or ceiling of air-plane flight is -continuauy being increased. Even at 15,0QQ Afeet ,it is regarded as necessary to provide added oxygen and to maintain a suitable gas pressure the alveolar regions ofthe lungs, and {vhen elevations in excess of 30,900 feet are obtained giavdf; eelties in eeeeeetee with. gleheiiiee feverable life conditions of the aviatorarenencoufltered. We have discovered that set @gli reflet Oxygen et suitable. .lelie rreeeerehe eez but that mete favorablemente .are eeeerelly te tained bv enelpeies the, entire b eclv of the avifeter ,in en .eaveleeies .flexible ease in vvheleis. mentare@ a pressure .e bly higher th tile pressure f the' serrer ne atmeeph VariQllS .different er pressures are'av'. eed effective and this' ,a Spese ,Qf ,out inl vestige but. we. have feunel in rreetiee th te differential higher pressure lof 1.1i the".'r1eiehbferhood of 11/2 lbs. per square inchvtithnthe seal-l ing envelope is effective and satisfactory .Itis ee .ebieet ef eur ievezeten! .ereieeefte @revisie a Beside air-tight Seit afgesteld te lee pleeed, the beer e? e rraferebiy immediately Werl llildigarmeli SllA afi Substantially ekireht linien suit, and having a helmet-,lise Dertien eeeleei-ne the heed', feet perf tions enclosing the feet, glOYe ,enclcsing the hande, .all united together se as .definitely to seal against ingress of air from without or .egress ofair from Within. v

It is a further object of our invention to construct the aforesaid suit in parts such, for. example, as a coat part, and trousers part including attached feet', a helmet part and gloves, in combination with l'means for securing them together. insuchwise that the 'connecting margins Will be held air-tight throughout'l and all parts of the suit except at said connecting margins will be held covering all par-ts of the body 'of'. vthe wearer, in substantially skin tight relation to .the parts of the body covered by said partsoff the suit.

It is a further object of our invention to form said securing means of rigid backing members such as may golaround theiwaist, thneck and the wrists and leave free spaces about 'them in combination vvith members 'caused to grip the backing members and thereby I'iit'cnly'tv hold them with the parts .connected t'o'gethir but' et-A fect sealing at thepoints of union.

It is a further bject'of our inventionto con structV the several pieces ofv the suit itself and the helmet with zipper openings backed by sealedfin elastic portions which can' be stretched so that at the same time the parts ofthe device may be assembledon .the body convenintly"and easily and when assembled and secured together they will be sealed gas-tight'from outside a'tmosphere.

It is 'a further and highly important object of our invention'to provide a mask st'ructu're for overlyingv the nose and mouth of the aviator' havi ing its marginal 'portions extended vvithinthe chamber .inside ofthe helmetand sealing against the face and yet being subject atthe sealing edges to the gas pressure Within the helmet and the sealed suit, a'nd for supplying oxygen tdt-he will first collapse the rebreathing bag and then draw air from within the suit.

It isa further object of our invention to provide means for supplying oxygen .to theV breathing passageway and mask, either by direct ccntinuous flow of oxygen or by intermittent demand type feed, and the oxygen will preferably be fed into the breathing passageway at a point between it and the rebreathing bag or into the rebreathing bag itself so 'that the oxygen will be added to gases of exhalation to fill the rebreathing bag and will mix directly therewith upon inhalation.

It is a further object of our invention to house the rebreathing bag in a specially constructed chamber having connection with the outlets from the breathing tube past the restriction valves and also having connection with the interior of the air-sealed suit.

It is a further object of our invention to provide means for injecting air under pressure to the rebreathing bag chamber and thence into the space within the interior of the suit and to control the inlet of air to the rebreathing bag chamber and the interior of the suit by means of an automatic valve structure which in turn is subject t the atmospheric pressure at any elevation through the operation of a suitably attached aneroid structure.

It is a further object of our invention to employ for controlling outlet of air from within the suit a similar aneroid-controlled valve structure which is so adjusted relative to the compressed air inlet valve structure that it will require a predetermined amount of pressure in excess of that for opening the air inlet valve, for example, 11/2 lbs. greater pressure, before the outlet valve mechanism will be opened.

It is a further object of our invention to have these valve structures formed with double aneroids, in each instanceone of said aneroids being subject to the pressure of gas within the rebreathing bag chamber and the interior of the suit, and the other of said aneroids being subject tothe pressure of outside atmosphere and to so adjust and balance these aneroids that the pressure of the gas within the rebreathing bag chamber and within the space inside of the suit will always have a pressure at a predetermined amount greater thanV the pressure of outside atmosphere, for example, will have a pressure greater by 11/2 lbs. than the pressure of the outside atmosphere.

It is a further object of our invention to provide relief valves of common construction at several parts of the suit adapted to be opened by gas pressure within the suit somewhat in excess of the 11/2 lbs. difference in pressure between the inside of the suit and the outside of the suit.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a structure at the knees of the trousers part of the garment which will permit flexing and bending` of the knees without breaking the air seal to the inside of the garment.

The full objects and advantages of our invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof which will now be given in the appended specification. and the novel features by which the above identified mode of operation and advantageous results are obtained will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating an application of our invention in one form:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation view taken on a line transversely across the center of a part of the suit and attached parts as worn.

Fig. 2 is' a front elevation view of a portion of away and in section.

Fig. 2A is a diagrammatic view indicating a source of compressed air and means for heating it.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional fragmentary view taken longitudinally of the inlet valve structure.

Fig. 3A is a fragmentary plan view of a part of the valve stem showing the annular groove and transverse hole running through it.

Fig. 4 is a. front elevation view of an aviator showing the sealed air suit in the position which it will assume as wom.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view showing the manner in which the parts of the suit, particularly the coat part and the trousers part, are secured together.

Fig. 6 is an external elevation. fragmentary view showing the manner of clamping the split hoop upon the circumferential supporting base.

Fig. 7 shows how the parts of the supporting base are brought together when completely closed.

Fig. 8 shows the tongue and groove construction with overlying keeper for making this joint.

Figs. 9 and l0 are fragmentary detail views on an enlarged scale showing the knee structure of the suit to permit free flexing and bending of the knees while maintaining the sealed character of the suit.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional elevation view of a part of the suit at the belt showing how the parts are secured together by the split band over the supporting band.

Fig. 12 is a perspective elevation View of a part of the suit and appurtenances as worn with some parts broken away and in section.

Fig, 12A is a fragmentary view indicating a source of oxygen to be delivered under controlled pressure.

Fig. 13 is a rear view of the helmet showing how the same may be put on and closed in operating position and the elastic sealing strap on the inside of it.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a portion of the coat part showing the manner of opening it to slip it over the head of a wearer and the rubber sealing strip associated therewith.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner of uniting the lower ends of the sleeves of the garment with the gloves worn by .the aviator.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view of a check valve customarily employed in different parts of the suit.

As Shown in Figs. 4 and 13 the suit proper comprises an upper or coat part 20 and trousers part 2l including feet 22 and 23, and a helmet 24, all of these parts being made of exible material such as woven fabric treated to be gas tight, although the helmet, if desired, may be made of other types of material. The trousers part will normally include knee hinge portions 25 and 26 which, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, comprise bands 21 and 28. It will be noted that the material between the bands is of excesslength so that when the knee is flexed or bent there will be flaps or folds 29,'Fig. 10, formed on the underside and when the leg is straightened at the knee, flaps or folds 30 will form at the front of the knee, Fig. l0. This arrangement is such that the space within the trousers legs at the knees will at all times be sealed air-tight while the wearer is permitted customary 4freedom of movement of the limbs.

The several parts of the suit above described are adapted to be put onand connected together in. air-tight relation in the. following. manner.` The trousers part Zal; will. ncnnally be drawn on over the. foot and legs a customary manner. Zipper closed dans 2id andv 2412 Fig., 4.,. undere laid byl a fold of' thel fabric of; the trousers .part 2| enable theV waist; to be expanded so that the trousers part can be. drawn. up over the hips. Preferably a suit or underwear indicated; atv 3l.. Fig. 11. such as: an ordinary union suit.. with socks overV the feet is worn next to the skin and the parts of the air sealed suit described herein will be drawn on over the union suit.

The. coat part 2u will then be put on by being drawn down over the head. AsY shown in Fie. 14,. this is provided with a nap opening 3.2 at its upper part which is backed by a rubber piece 33: indicated in extent byV dotted lines at 34. This rubber piece is. secured in gas-tight manner to the inside of the fabric coat portion and has sufficient elasticity to. permit the same to be drawn on over the head of the wearer. It is closed by a zipper 35, Figs. 4 and 14, in a well known manner.

After the coat portion, 20. and the trousers portion 2|- are on the body of the wearer they are united at the waist in gas-tight relation in the following manner. A band 3E formed of some rigid material preferably light metal is split at 31, Figs. '7 and 8, and is adapted to be placed around the Waist of thev wearer and then put to.. gether so as to form a rigid ring-like or oval supporting member by inserting a tongue 38 in a groove 39 beneath a keeper 45, as clearly shown in Figs. 6. and 7. The band S6 has outwardly curved edges 4I and 42, as clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and thus is adapted to be worn next to the body with no edges in a position to engage and irritate any part of the wearers body. Also the inside of said band may have applied thereto a layer 43 of felt or similar material, as indicated in Fig. 11.

After the band 35 has been applied, an annular part 44 at the upper edge of the trousers is laid upon the outside of band 35 and a similar part 45 at the lower edge of the coat portion is laid upon the part 44 in overlapping relation as indicated in Fig. 11. A second band 46, preferably of flexible metal, is placed outside of the part 45. The band 46 is separated as indicated at 41 in Fig. 6, and is adapted to be drawn tight over the lapped parts 44 and 45 held between it and the rst-named band 36 by means of a link 48 hingedly connected at 49 to one end 50 of band 46 and a lever l hingedly connected at 52 with the other end 53 of band 46 and connected intermediate its ends, as indicated at 54, with the link 48. By these means the band 46 is caused to clasp the overlapping parts 44 and 45 between it and the band 36 with very great force and hold the parts together so that leakage of air is dene nitely prevented.

The helmet 24, as shown in Fig. 1, is adapted to be applied over the head and in position to be united with the neck piece of the coat 2l! 'by reason of an opening 24a down its back, Fig. 13. An inner 'piece of rubber 241) is secured in gas, tight relation to the inside of the fabric of he'lT met 24 and is adapted to 'be closed in a custom.- ary manner by a zipper 24e. The helmet 24 is secured to the coat 20 in substantially the same way. A split band 55 similar to the split band 36 preferably will have a lining 56 oi felt or other protective material and when in position will form a base member surrounding, and suits ably out. of contact, with. the neck,A Upon the. ban-d: isv laid the circurnic lower part: Erl-or the fabric. or helmet 24 overlapping it the upper part. 58 orA the coat. part 12.0.. Qvervtbis; is laid a. band 59 similar to: the. band` 46: which is. locked upon the.- oyerlanpina parts 5.6 and 5.1 between the bands. 55 and 59: by mean-s, such as is shown in Fig.v 6, applied to the belt supporting loand36.v

Similarly at the sleeves a bracelet band .6.4 large enough to be slipped over the. hand, Fig. 15, receives the lower circumferential part titl44 of the sleeve B2 and overlapping, itis the upper circumferential part. 63 of the top of the glove 6.4. These overlapping parts. are clamped together by means of band 65; in the same manner as hereto:4 fore described and shown in detail in Fig. 6. By these means the coat. or upper portion 20, the trousers portion 2|., the helmet 24 and the gloves 64, after being applied to the body are held tee. gether in an air-tight manner, so there. is a chamber surrounding all parts ofthe body of' the wearer which is sealed from outside air. As 'illuse trated in Fig. 12,.o.uter garments, such as a coat. 6.6 and a protective helmet, 61, maybe donned by the wearer of the sealed suit outside the same. It will be noted that. all parts of the suit when the same have been applied to the body of the wearer will be close litt-ing to the body, in fact almost skin tight, so as to conform the suit. to the body of the wearer in its flexing movements. and to reduce as much as possible the spaceA within the suit surrounding all parts of the body of the wearer.

The mask 24 is provided with transparent eye pieces, or goggles, 69. The frame of these goge gles has the fabric .of the mask 24 cemented thereto and the goggles are held in position in conjunction with the -front of the mask by means of a strap 'l0 which passes about the rear of thc helmet. Protruded through an opening 1I in the helmet body is a mask structure 12 which env gages the face of the wearer inside of helmet 20 and provides a breathing chamber enclosing the nose and mouth of the wearer'. As indicated in Fig. l, portions I3 and 74 of the fabric of helmet 29 overlie and are sealed in gas-tight relation to the mask body 12. The mask body is held in position in its relation to the helmet 24 by means of a strap T5 which passes around the nape of the neck of the wearer. The mask body 12, is, therefore, projected into the chamber formed within the body-enclosing suit and at its marginal contacts with the face of the wearer is sub ject to the gas pressure within said chamber.

It follows that if the seal of the mask body 12 against the face of the wearer at the marginal contacting portions 11, is at any time not `perfectly sealed, or otherwise the breathing will be subject to the pressure of gas within the chamber enclosed with all parts of the body of the wearer in the breathing suit.

A microphone casing 1.6 is formed at the front of the mask body 12. As best shown in Figs. l and 2, a tube T8 leads from the lower part of the mask zbody 'l2 and forms a breathing passage: way '59. This passageway T9 leads straight down? ward to a rebreathing bag chamber 8G formed by a hoxdike structure having front and rear walls Sl and B2, top and bottom walls V$13 and .84 and side walls and 36. Projecting into cham: ber 35i in line with the passageway le is a nnipple nl' upon which is mounted a rebreathing bag '8.8. The rebreathing bag 88 is entirely within chaine ber 8J) and opens `.directly by a relatively short path through passageway 19 to the breathing chamber within mask body 12. The exterior walls of rebreathing bag 88 will, therefore, always be subject to the pressure of gas in chamber 80. Opening through the bottom wall 84 of chamber 80 is a tube 89 which is connected with an elbow 90, in turn connected by a tube 9| and plate 92 formed therewith to the front fabric 93 of the coat portion 20 of the sealed suit. By this means the chamber 80 is at all times directly connected with the chamber inside of the sealed suit as the same is worn.

A nipple 94, Fig. 2, opens a passageway into the breathing passageway 19. This nipple is connected by means of a tube 95 with a suitable oxygen tank 90 having delivery control valves, not shown in detail, indicated generally at 91, Fig. 12A. This is one means of supplying oxygen to the breathing passageway 19, rebreathing bag 83 and the breathing chamber in mask 12. However the showing of Fig. 12A indicates any source of oxygen supply controlled in any well known way, such for example as by intermittent feed with demand type valve control.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the pipe 18 is provided with a pair of branches 98 and 99 extending in opposite directions and each opening into passageway 19 as indicated at |00 at a point above the I entrance `of oxygen delivery through tube 95 and nipple 94 into passageway 19. These passageways are provided with cylindrical enlargements IOI, |02 in which are seated sponge rubber breathing restriction valves |03. From the extension 98 a tube |04 preferably of flexible corrugated rubber extends outwardly and downwardly and connects with an angularly disposed projecting tube opening at |06 into the rebreathing-bag chamber 80 outside of rebreathing bag 88. Similarly the extension 99 is connected by a. exible corrugated rubber tube |01 with an angularly extended tube |08 which opens at |09 into rebreathing bag chamber 80. It will be apparent from the above that, upon exhalation the rst part of the exhaled gases will go through the direct open passage to ll rebreathing bag 88, carrying along entering oxygen, and that as pressure builds up because of distention of rebreathing bag 88 the latter part of the exhalation, carrying most of the carbon dioxide, will pass through the restriction valves |03 and the tubes |04, |01 into the rebreathing-bag chamber 80 outside of rebreathing bag 88, and from there will go through passages in 89, 90 and 9| to the inside of the coat part of the sealed suit from which the exhalation gases may distribute throughout the chamber surrounding all parts of the wearers body within the sealed suit. It further will be apparent that exhalation into the rebreathing bag 88 will always be subject to the pressure within rebreathing-bag chamber 80,

which will be the same pressure as exists about the body of the wearer in the space within the suit. Inhalation also will be subject to the same pressure.

The above instrumentalities, including the mask 12 independently sealed upon the face of the aviator, the breathing tube 18, rebreathing bag 88 in enclosing box 8|, laterally co-nnecting tubes |04 and |01 and connection 90, 9| with the space inside of the coat part 20 of the flexible air-tight aviators suit comprise a breathing systemy in effect located entirely outside of the said aviators suit, but having the rebreathing bag 88 and breathing tubes subject only to the pressure within the suit. This result is made certain because the walls of the breathing tubes and box 8| are all made to completely resist external pressure of the surrounding atmosphere so only the pressure from within the aviators suit is communicated thereto through the passageways 89, 90 and 9|. be kept at a degree somewhat, say one and onehalf pounds to the square inch, higher than the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere. In part this pressure is eiected by exhalation from the breathing system, but more particularly and primarily it will be effected by injection of air into the space within the aviation suit by means entirely independent of the breathing system.

We have provided means for maintaining a pressure within the rebreathing bag chamber and the interior of the suit which will be varied according to the pressure of the atmosphere out- 4 side of the suit, but which will always have a higher pressure in a xed predetermined amount. This higher pressure preferably may be around 11/2 lbs. per square inch. The means for accomplishing this predetermined variation of pressure consists in the employment of special valve constructions such as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in association with means for injecting air under pressure into the rebreathing bag chamber 80 and thence within the sealed suit. In general the air may be taken from any source of compressed air, such as is indicated by diagram at |I0, Fig. 2A, and preferably will be preheated or pre-cooled by any suitable means for that purpose. The pressure air will be conducted through a tube to a nipple I I2 having a bore I I3 extending through a, central block ||4 formed across a valve casing II5. The block II4 and valve casing I|5 is secured to the side of the casing which encloses rebreathing bag chamber 88 by means of bolts I I6, Fig. 2.

The bore opening I I3 is blocked by a valve stem I I1 extending longitudinally of a cylindrical valve bore IIB. The bore II3 is in alinement with an extension I|9 which in turn is in alinement with an opening |20 into the rebreathing bag chamber 80. The valve stem I I1 extends through the block ||4 into a chamber |2I at one end of the valve Stem and into a chamber |22 at the other end of the valve stem. The chamber |2I is sealed from outside atmosphere by means of a closure cap |23 and gasket |24, as shown in Fig. 3, but from chamber I2| extends an opening |25 in alinement with an opening |28 extending through side wall 88 inte chamber 80. The chamber |2I, while sealed from outside atmosphere` is in communication with the atmosphere inside of rebreathing bag chamber 80 and within the sealed suit. The chamber |22 is closed by a perforated cap |21 so that it is, of course, subject to the pressure of the outside atmosphere.

Upon the end of valve stem I I1 extending into chamber I2I is an expansible gas filled aneroid |28y which is thus made subject to the pressure of gas within rebreathing bag chamber 80 and within the space in the sealed suit about the body of the wearer. A set screw |29 forms an abutment for the end of aneroid |28 and is adapted to adjust the compression thereof as desired. Likewise connected with the `other end within chamber |22 is a second aneroid |30 which engages the end of a set screw |3| and may have its degree of compression adjusted thereby.

The valve stem I I1 is provided with an annular groove |32, Figs. 3 and 3A, and also preferably will have a hole |33 directly through it and normally having its length in the plane of holes As heretofore stated, this pressure willY H3 |'|`9-. When these parts are inali'neme'na appears in Fig. 2, it is obvius that -ai'i v'under -pis'hre will be delivered directly into rebrath- 'in 'bag chamber ai! fand thence to `the interior *of theseald 's'it enclosing all parts of fth'e body of the wearer. As the pressure rises in rebreath'ing bag chamber 831 it wil-l be communicated through 6"' ning-s 25, F26 to valve chamber |2| and will tentito cbn-ipress the aherbid -I'Z' and move the "going'through restrict-'ion valves vl|3573 and tubular pasusageways 18d Aand it?. y l y A l .,Tne movement or van@ stemV m .to the left will 4also tend to expand aneroid |35 in valve :lrarrrber l|22 which is at atmospheric pressure. vthe elevation grows `higher and higher the air pressure in chamber |22 will drop which will cause the 'aneroid |31? to Aexpand in such lowered -l pressure Vten-'ding to assistl the contraction of aneroid I;|23 due to pressure in valve chamber |2| and this will have the effect oi compensating `for the decreased pressure on the outside of the suit by 'correspondingly aiding in shutting off of further supply of air under pressure to the inside 'of `the sealed suit.

Attached to the side wall by means of bolts :|34 is 'a compensating release Valve structure in all resp'ectssimilar to that heretofore described. The block |35 has therein apertures |36 and |31 which open into the connecting passageway |38 having therein the valve stem |38. The valve vcasing |1364 is formed with a chamber |'4 '|y sealed from outside atmosphere and a chamber "|42 open to outside atmosphere. Likewise chamber |'4| is Aopen 'through passageways |43 and |44 into rebreathing-bag chamber 8G. The chamber |4| is closed and sealed by cap |45 which has threaded therein a'thrust 'pin |46 engaging an aneroid |47 in chamber |4| and subject to 'the pressure of 'gas within rebreathing-bag chamber 80 and within the chamber in the sealed suit enclosing the bod-y of the wearer, Chamber |42, open to atmospheric pressure, has therein an aneroid |48 which is engaged by thrust pin |439. By means of thrust pins |46 and |139, which are set screws, the proper adjustment of compression of the two aneroids is effected.

.It'follows that as pressure rises in chamber |4| due to introduction into the rebreathing-bag chamber and sealed suit of air under pressure from tube |I| the aneroid |41 will move annular groove |32 and hole |33 to the left to bring them into registry more or less with openings |36 and |31, thus permitting gas from rebreathing-bag chamber 80 and the sealed suit to waste to atmosphere and reducing the pressure within the same. The aneroid,|8, as in the case of the aneroid |30, subject to atmospheric pressure, will compensate for reduced atmospheric pressure on the outside of the exible suit by tending to move the openings through valve stem |39 in the same direction and thus requiring greater pressure inside tending to release more air from the rebreathing-bag chamber 80 and the sealed flexible suit as the elevation increases and the atmospheric pressure falls.

As additional safeguards for preventing too great rise of pressure Within the sealed suit, or

within :par-ts thereof, este" enamel-e., infra vnaalden *and is normally -held in ISuch engagement VAbyf'a.

which hence 'makes'thefchamber'withintnesuie and which'contai'ns all parts 'of the body 'oi lthe wearer, subjectto the pressure 'of the `suribunding atmosphere, and at the saine time isb'cmbined with means for adding air under pressure within said sealed chamber so contro-Hedthat'that pressure will, 'at Vany and all 'elevations 'and co'nsequent different pressures, have a xediratio f increased pressure vabove 'that bf the surrounding atmosphere. The'evfle'ct of this'fis'thatthe aviator, no `matter vho'whigh he may 'go "arid hence how 10W 'the atmospheric pressure may uro'p, always will 'have surrounding body a ygas pressure substantially'i'n eXcess'f the'pressure of 'the outside atmo-sphere.

A further great `advantage of our invention resides inthe 'fact that this pressure, compensated in actualp'oun'd's per "square inch for various elevations and atmospheric pressures, lcannot Arise above la predetermined amount rel-ated to the outside atmospheric pressure, so that the -abric of which the sealed suit is composed will always be protected against any-possible rupturing forces or strains.

A further great vadvantage of our inventicnresides in the fact that the arrangement Aof rebreathing bag and waste passages in relation to the contact of mask with the -face-is vsuch that breathing takes place under the A`external pressure xed 4within the sealed .suit and is never affected directly yby the pressure of thesurrounding atmosphere.

Itis a further -great vadvantage that the `waste gases of exhalation go to the rebreathing-bag chamber and thence to the chamber within the sealed suit. Thus the warmth of the, exhaled gases is conserved both for Warming or maintaining warmth of the gases coming from the rebreathing bag and the oxygen mask therewith, and for carrying such warmth into the interior of the sealed suit about the body of the wearer, the relief Valves |60, IBI, |62 and |63 being so positioned as to tend to distribute this breathedin air throughout the space within the sealed suit about the body of the wearer. And also exhalation and likewise inhalation will be subject to the pressures maintained in the sealed suit.

A fundamentally novel and important advantage of our invention resides in the controlled introduction of warmed or cooled air within the sealed suit about the body of the wearer whereby a suitable pressure within the sealed suit and upon the body of the wearer at all points thereof may be maintained regardless of variations in the pressures of the surrounding atmosphere which may result from variations in elevation. The control of this pressurein the sealed suit is made automatically such that the pressure never can become too great relative to the surrounding atmospheric pressure and yet always will be enough to provide satisfactory life conditions for the aviator. Thus the danger and ill eiects of low pressures at high altitudes are almost entirely avoided, and ascent to higher elevations and into lower air pressures than has been practicable heretofore is made possible while the safety of the aviator and freedom from serious or dangerous effects of such low pressures is secured.

It is a further advantage of ourinvention to so construct the various parts of the sealed suit that it may be put on with comparative ease, and, even though composed of flexible material, can readily be secured in position by the wearer himself so Another nal and highly important advantage of our invention resides in the combined use of a sealed suit having therein air at a regulated pressure always a suicient and predetermined degree higher than the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere with a separate and interconnected mask structure operating in much the same way that it would operate if used independently of the sealed suit, and yet also operating so that all of the breathing processes take place subject to the pressure maintained within the sealed suit at the desired degree higher than the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere.

We claim:

1. In association with a sealed flexible air-tight aviators suit for use at high elevationsl which covers and encloses a space sealed about the entire body of the wearer, a breathing system including a mask having its face-contacting margins within said space and sealed therefrom against the face of the wearer, a breathing line leading from said mask and terminating in a rebreathing bag, and a box enclosing the rebreathing bag and having connection with said space.

2. In association with a sealed flexible air-tight laviators suit for use at high elevations, which bag, and a box enclosing the rebreathing bag and having connection with said space, a secondary breathing line leading from the rst named breathing line to the interior of said box, and a sponge rubber restriction valve in said secondary line.

3. In association with a sealed flexible air-tight aviators suit for use at high elevations, which covers and encloses a space sealed about the entire body of the wearer, a breathing system including a mask having its face-contacting margins within the space in said suit surrounding the body of the aviator, a breathing line leading from said mask and terminating in a rebreathing bag, a box enclosing the rebreathing bag and having connection with said space, a secondary breathing line leading from the upper part of the ilrst named breathing line to the interior of said box, a sponge rubber restriction valve in said secondary line, and means for introducing oxygen to the first-named breathing line at a point below the opening therefrom of the secondary line.

4. In association with a sealed flexible air-tight aviators suit for use at high elevations, which covers and encloses a space sealed about the entire body of the wearer, a breathing system including a mask having its face-contacting margins within said space and sealed therefrom against the face of the wearer, a breathing line 1 leading from said mask and terminating in a rebreathing bag, a box enclosing the rebreathing bag and having connection with said space, a pair of secondary breathing lines leading in opposite directions from the rst named breathing line and connected with the space within said box, and a sponge rubber restriction valve in each of said secondary lines.

5. In association with a sealed exible air-tight aviators suit for use at high elevations, which covers and encloses a space sealed about the entire body of the wearer, a breathing system including a mask having its face-contacting margins within said space and sealed therefrom against the face of the wearer, a breathing line leading from said mask and terminating in a rebreathing bag, a box enclosing the rebreathing bag and having connection with said space, a source of compressed air near the box having delivery connection therewith; and means for controlling introduction of said compressed air into said box and thence into said space.

JOHN D. AKERMAN. WALTER M. BOOTHBY. ARTHUR H. BULBULIAN. WILLIAM R. LOVELACE, II. 

